Year One: Triumphs and Disappointments

[millernumber1]

Totally forgot to add the wonderful short story "Oracle: Year One - Born of Hope" written by John Ostrander and Kim Yale, drawn by Brian Stelfreeze, inked by Karl Story, in Batman Chronicles #5. I haven't read a lot of the "Year One" annuals from 1995, and I don't think most of them were very lasting, but this short story in the Batman Chronicles anthology format is truly an excellent use of the Year One branding. Beautifully crafted writing, sketchy but deeply thoughtful art (not always appealing, but incredibly emotionally effective) by an artist who had a deep love of Babs as Oracle (Stelfreeze also drew one of Oracles first solo stories). I'm fortunate to have the issue signed by Stelfreeze (he comes to my area a lot, and I keep asking him to sign tiny bits of work he did long before he became a super famous artist. But he's super nice about it!)

[Robanker]

I have to confess....I've never read Batman Year One. >shame<

And I think I actually own it! >hides<

invasion-of-the-body-snatchers-78.jpg






It's the best thing Miller ever wrote and a cornerstone of the character even still. Highly recommended.

[Restingvoice]

Well, Nightwing Year One is trash for making Bruce a possessive obsessive manchild who can't accept his boy growing up and has friends then literally kidnap another boy

Batman Year One is best except Selina is made a hooker because a female character means she has to be sexual right? Then there's the movie showcasing her as a stripper as promotional trailer. Not the fault of the book, but I'll blame it anyway.

Robin Year One isn't better because it still depicts Bruce as a broody bastard who can't communicate with a kid and fired him for making a mistake. Though Gordon did deck him for making Dick hurt. That was good.

Teen Titans Year One continues with the depiction of Batman as emotionally constipated.. what is with Year One and all the brood?!

Batgirl Year One is really good, and Dick dressed up as Batgirl, always a plus, but it also has that habit of hinting Killing Joke being Barbara's destiny so points off for that.

Scarecrow Year One still has the broody bat but he actually listens to Dick, who here possesses my favorite trait of him: dropping truth bombs. So I guess this one is the winner. Either this or Batgirl.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

How is Black Lightning Year One?

[Bored at 3:00AM]

JLA, Green Arrow, Wonder Woman are my favorites here. Black Lightning was quite solid as well, but not quite on the same level.
<

Worth buying or borrowing?

[millernumber1]

Batgirl Year One is really good, and Dick dressed up as Batgirl, always a plus, but it also has that habit of hinting Killing Joke being Barbara's destiny so points off for that.

I think it gains those points back by setting up Oracle as well, though. And I think that a Batgirl origin written after TKJ, as long as editorial insists that TKJ happened, should set it up or deal with it. I'm not at all against getting rid of TKJ as a continuity story, making it elseworlds, but until that's the case, I think you need to deal with it, and if you can indicate that Babs will overcome it, it's much better.

How is Black Lightning Year One?

I got it in the digital sale a month or so ago. Really, really good stuff. Quality writing by Van Meter, excellent art by Cully Hamner. Definitely recommended.

[LifeIsILL]

Green Arrow Year One is severely overrated to me. I think people just like it for the art.

When people mention the best Green Arrow stories that's the only thing they mention and omit all the wonderful pre-52 stuff.

How is Black Lightning Year One?

It's decent, nothing more than that. You're better off reading the 70s Black Lightning, which a superior version anyway.

[millernumber1]

Green Arrow Year One is severely overrated to me. I think people just like it for the art.

When people mention the best Green Arrow stories that's the only thing they mention and omit all the wonderful pre-52 stuff.

It's decent, nothing more than that. You're better off reading the 70s Black Lightning, which a superior version anyway.

I agree that the art seems like the best part of Green Arrow Year One. I don't know if I'd say it's overrated, but it doesn't really seem to lead to anything, except Ollie being an archer in a green costume. It doesn't setup his ongoing status quo or his supporting cast the same way the best Year One miniseries do - Batman Year One sets up Gordon and Alfred, and even a bit of Selina (even if I tend to agree that the prostitute backstory is really frustrating). Green Arrow's supporting cast seems like it's all pretty disposable. But it's a very solid story.

I don't see people omitting the Mike Grell stuff when they talk about the best Green Arrow stories, though. I'm not a GA fan, but every time I hear GA fans talking, they at least mention the Grell runs, especially Longbow Hunters.

I've never read the 70s Black Lightning - or really any Black Lightning outside of Year One (and that was in preparation for the upcoming run on Detective Comics). I'd say it's much more than decent in the way it constructs the characters and world, and the art is really well done.

So...basically I disagree, but mostly because these stories probably have undue influence on the way I see the characters because of the lack of experience I have with them.

[LifeIsILL]

In Green Arrow Year One Oliver became an expert archer in just a few pages it seems, you never really see him go under some intense training which I thought made the whole story a bit pointless.

[millernumber1]

In Green Arrow Year One Oliver became an expert archer in just a few pages it seems, you never really see him go under some intense training which I thought made the whole story a bit pointless.

They setup that he had both insane natural talent and previous training, and I think it's implied that a certain amount of time passes while he survives and becomes a good archer.

[Sam]

Of the Year One's I've read, these are my thoughts:

Batman: Year One--I generally dislike Frank Miller's work, but this one is fantastic. One of the best Batman stories ever made, though making Catwoman a prostitute was...unnecessary to say the least.

JLA: Year One--I understand that a lot of people love this one, but for whatever reason it just didn't do it for me. I don't think it was bad so much as not my cup of tea. A little too silver age-y. I generally like Mark Waid too, but this didn't work for me.

Robin: Year One--Not bad, a solid comic, but not as powerful or necessary as many of the other books on this list.

Batgirl: Year One--A fantastic story and one of the best featuring Barbara Gordon. I kind of want to read it again just thinking about it.

Green Arrow: Year One--I absolutely love this miniseries. Sure it doesn't feature Ollie's supporting cast, but it is a great grounded story that really helped me fall in love with Ollie has a character in the comics.

Teen Titans: Year One--I like a lot of the moments and interactions here, but the whole thing seems unsatisfying and incomplete. It doesn't really have an ending.

Black Lightning: Year One--Pretty enjoyable. There were a few things I remember not being as crazy about, but the positives vastly outweigh the negatives.

Wonder Woman: Year One--Greg Rucka on writing and Nicola Scott on art. It is a beautiful arc and wonderfully told. Issue 4 with the gunman at the mall and Wonder Woman's debut in the US particularly perfect.

[millernumber1]

Of the Year One's I've read, these are my thoughts:

Batman: Year One--I generally dislike Frank Miller's work, but this one is fantastic. One of the best Batman stories ever made, though making Catwoman a prostitute was...unnecessary to say the least.

Robin: Year One--Not bad, a solid comic, but not as powerful or necessary as many of the other books on this list.

Batgirl: Year One--A fantastic story and one of the best featuring Barbara Gordon. I kind of want to read it again just thinking about it.

Green Arrow: Year One--I absolutely love this miniseries. Sure it doesn't feature Ollie's supporting cast, but it is a great grounded story that really helped me fall in love with Ollie has a character in the comics.

Wonder Woman: Year One--Greg Rucka on writing and Nicola Scott on art. It is a beautiful arc and wonderfully told. Issue 4 with the gunman at the mall and Wonder Woman's debut in the US particularly perfect.

Nice rundown! I'm much the same way on Miller - but Batman Year One and Daredevil Born Again are masterpieces. I'm really hoping that Superman Year One is the same Frank.

Much as I enjoy the art and craft of Robin Year One, I agree that it just doesn't feel as necessary. In contrast, Batgirl Year One is just amazing and lovely.

Your comments about Green Arrow Year One are spot on as well - I think it can help to build up the supporting cast of a character in their Year One, but the essential thing is to fall in love with the character. That's what most Year One books have done for me, and I'm glad of it.

Wonder Woman's revelation in issue 4 was indeed, well, Wonderful. Scott and Rucka clearly have so much love for Diana, and so much skill.

[Frontier]

I think Green Arrow: Year One works well in regards to exploring Oliver Queen's time on the island, which had previously not been explored in-depth, and showing his shift from the devil-may-care playboy to the hero he is today, even if compared to other Year One's it didn't extensively feature any kind of traditional supporting cast or trappings of the character (although that's also always been Green Arrow's lot to some degree).

I am kind of surprised they didn't work in a Black Canary reference (that I can recall).

[millernumber1]

I think Green Arrow: Year One works well in regards to exploring Oliver Queen's time on the island, which had previously not been explored in-depth, and showing his shift from the devil-may-care playboy to the hero he is today, even if compared to other Year One's it didn't extensively feature any kind of traditional supporting cast or trappings of the character compared to other Year One's (although that's also always been Green Arrow's lot to some degree).

I am kind of surprised they didn't work in a Black Canary reference (that I can recall).

I just got it in the huge Memorial day sale on comixology, and it doesn't hint at Pretty Bird, sadly. But I did think it was very engaging.

[Sam]

I love Ollie and Dinah together, but I do feel that it is good to have stories that feature one of the other. I feel like sometimes there become too defined by their relationships then who they are at their core. This is particularly true of Dinah, who rarely gets the spotlight with sharing it with Ollie or Barbara or the Justice League.

As such, I really think it is great that Ollie has stories like Year One or Lemire's run where the focus is exclusively on him.